Melbourne teen claims train attack was 'self-defence'
A Melbourne teen says he was acting in self-defence when he punched a man and shoved him onto train tracks, breaking his leg.
Kiamora Tangatopoto’s lawyer says his client was threatened by victim, Chris Wood, before security footage captured the moment the 19-year-old snapped.
“We’re very, very sorry, but it’s not our fault. It’s not my client’s fault, he was acting in self-defence,” lawyer Aaron Eidelson said.
“The victim threatened him with a hypodermic needle. It’s very, very sad that the victim was injured but my client was acting in self-defence.”
It is not known whether Mr Wood was in possession of a hypodermic needle at the time.
Mr Wood has recalled the panic he felt as he lay on the tracks at Yarraman Station with a broken leg, fearing a train would come.
“I get off the train line as quick as I could, and I just went to stand up and my legs couldn’t get up,” Mr Wood said in the days after the attack.
“Everyone was just saying ‘train, train’.”
A tradesman jumped down on the tracks and pulled Mr Wood back onto the platform, just a minute before a train arrived.
In court on Monday, it was established Mr Wood suffers from a permanent limp as a result of his broken leg.
Tangatopoto will fight charges of intentionally causing serious injury in December.
